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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
I'm so glad to have finally read this book. Victor Hugo is supernaturally good at displaying every nook and cranny of humanity's moral spectrum. Rather than give us Disney cartoons, Hugo's story traffics in uncomfortably complex characters whose moments of kindness and of selfishness all play off each other in a crescendo of inevitable tragedy. The beauty in ugliness, the ugliness in beauty and the self-destruction inherent in excessive desire are all here for the reader to wade through and try to make sense of. Hugo's also as talented at fluid, beautiful description as he is at characterization. Usually, I get bored pretty fast of the 19th century habit of exhaustively drawing every facet of a locale. But I could read Hugo describing Paris all day. Far from a maudlin, melodramatic fairytale, this is a book that gets deep into the mud of what it means to be a messy and complicated human being.
I'm giving this 3 stars, because the story totally sucked me in and of course the writing was amazing. However, I didn't love it. It was way too tragic for me, and the whole time I found myself kind of shocked that Disney would even make a movie of this. I have always hated the Disney movie and refuse to let my kids watch it. There is so much death and darkness that permeates this book. Also, I found myself hating Phoebus far more than Frollo. Time to go read something with sunshine and rainbows!
Wow! I knew Disney had changed the story, but dang. I didn't realize it had been changed THAT much! Like Phantom of the Opera, the movie left out the best character (Jehan Frollo), and it really makes me sad.
But that ending... Despite Victor Hugo's unending soliloquies (which are mind-numbing at best), the story itself if fascinating! I definitely recommend it.
But that ending... Despite Victor Hugo's unending soliloquies (which are mind-numbing at best), the story itself if fascinating! I definitely recommend it.
Ξεκινώντας, ο θείος Βίκτορ μου ράγισε την καρδιά του κοριτσιού των 90s που μεγάλωσε με τις ταινίες Disney. Και φυσικά ποια ταινία της Disney αν όχι η Παναγία των Παρισίων! Μόνο που καμιά σχέση με το βιβλίο, σας το λέω από τώρα αν δεν το έχετε διαβάσει, καμία σχέση.
Αλλά. Having said that, και αφού το έβγαλα από μέσα μου, το βιβλίο είναι είναι ένα αριστούργημα της λογοτεχνίας. Μαγνητιστικές περιγραφές για αρχή. Όσο κι αν κουράζεται κάποιος με τις εκτενείς περιγραφές, και έχει πολλές, δεν είναι δυνατό να μη λατρέψει την ανάλυση του Hugo για το ναό της Notre Dame, την πολη του Παρισιού, την εποχή του 15ου αιώνα. Επίσης, στα απόλυτα συν οι υπέροχες παρεκβασεις για την τέχνη, την αρχιτεκτονική, τη φιλοσοφία. Μαγικό, πραγματικά. Με έκανε να θέλω να πάω στο Παρίσι και ταυτόχρονα να αισθάνομαι ότι έχω περπατήσει όλα τα στενά του δεκάδες φορές.
Και η ιστορία είναι φυσικά παραμυθένια. Ο κλασικός μύθος της πενταμορφης με το τέρας, αλλά από μια διαφορετική οπτική. O Hugo μας παραδίδει ένα θαυμάσιο μελόδραμα με δυνατούς χαρακτήρες, σχεδιασμένους με χειρουργική ακρίβεια. Ήρωες που δεν είναι κακοί ή καλοί, αλλά που αφήνονται στη μοίρα η οποία καθορίζει την πορεία και την εξέλιξή τους (η μοίρα, από την ελληνική λέξη "ανάγκη", όπως υπογραμμίζεται πολλές φορές στο κείμεν. Ακόμα και ο κύριος "κακός" του έργου, ο Φρολλο, δεν είναι εξαρχής κακός. Ίσα ίσα, είναι άνθρωπος των γραμμάτων που επιδεικνύει μεγάλη ευαισθησία όταν υιοθετεί τον Κουασιμοδο, ένα πλάσμα που κάνεις άλλος δεν θέλει να βλέπει.
Παρίσι, συγκίνηση, χειμαρρωδης πένα, καθηλωτικη ιστορία. Δεν ξέρω τι άλλο θα μπορούσε να έχει αυτό το βιβλίο για να γίνει καλύτερο, υποθέτω τίποτα.
Αλλά. Having said that, και αφού το έβγαλα από μέσα μου, το βιβλίο είναι είναι ένα αριστούργημα της λογοτεχνίας. Μαγνητιστικές περιγραφές για αρχή. Όσο κι αν κουράζεται κάποιος με τις εκτενείς περιγραφές, και έχει πολλές, δεν είναι δυνατό να μη λατρέψει την ανάλυση του Hugo για το ναό της Notre Dame, την πολη του Παρισιού, την εποχή του 15ου αιώνα. Επίσης, στα απόλυτα συν οι υπέροχες παρεκβασεις για την τέχνη, την αρχιτεκτονική, τη φιλοσοφία. Μαγικό, πραγματικά. Με έκανε να θέλω να πάω στο Παρίσι και ταυτόχρονα να αισθάνομαι ότι έχω περπατήσει όλα τα στενά του δεκάδες φορές.
Και η ιστορία είναι φυσικά παραμυθένια. Ο κλασικός μύθος της πενταμορφης με το τέρας, αλλά από μια διαφορετική οπτική. O Hugo μας παραδίδει ένα θαυμάσιο μελόδραμα με δυνατούς χαρακτήρες, σχεδιασμένους με χειρουργική ακρίβεια. Ήρωες που δεν είναι κακοί ή καλοί, αλλά που αφήνονται στη μοίρα η οποία καθορίζει την πορεία και την εξέλιξή τους (η μοίρα, από την ελληνική λέξη "ανάγκη", όπως υπογραμμίζεται πολλές φορές στο κείμεν. Ακόμα και ο κύριος "κακός" του έργου, ο Φρολλο, δεν είναι εξαρχής κακός. Ίσα ίσα, είναι άνθρωπος των γραμμάτων που επιδεικνύει μεγάλη ευαισθησία όταν υιοθετεί τον Κουασιμοδο, ένα πλάσμα που κάνεις άλλος δεν θέλει να βλέπει.
Παρίσι, συγκίνηση, χειμαρρωδης πένα, καθηλωτικη ιστορία. Δεν ξέρω τι άλλο θα μπορούσε να έχει αυτό το βιβλίο για να γίνει καλύτερο, υποθέτω τίποτα.
Love is like a tree: it grows by itself, roots itself deeply in our being and continues to flourish over a heart in ruin. The inexplicable fact is that the blinder it is, the more tenacious it is. It is never stronger than when it is completely unreasonable.
This was such a disappointment. Honestly, I'm sorry but it was unbearably boring and had so many digression chapters that I lost track of the main story. How is it possible that this was the inspiration for the iconic Disney movie, when it doesn't even remotely resemble it?
The beginning was painful to get through and desperately needs abridged. Although, there are gems. This book is like a love letter to Paris. Hugo is clearly smitten with the city and spreads his adoration. Oh but by the end. all i can say is that the heart aches. i felt so much. Hugo once again delivers as he always does
So finally I was able to make my way through the boring maze of a large collection of unnecessary words, Hugo called: "Notre Dame de Paris."
I really wanted to like this book. In fact, I enjoyed Bug Jargal and Hans of Iceland, he previous books but this...this was just torture. (And I'm no stranger to classics.)
2 stars is as high a rating I can honestly give it.
Characters: 2
I kept thinking it would get better, there would be better characters coming along. As a matter of fact Gringoire is the most sensible of them all. Maybe Quasimodo after but the rest behaved in such unrealistic manner that it was just a pain to read.
Esmeralda...I kept secretly hoping that the priest would just kill her and have it all over with. (No spoilers, that's just what I wanted him to do).
Just not impressed at all by any characters.
Plot: 2
While plot had very good potential, it really got quagmires by tens of pages of unnecessary information that was randomly and for no reason at all put as full chapters in between the actual story chapters. Just when I found myself getting immersed into the story. BAM! Let's talk about how the printing press killed architecture. For a WHOLE chapter. No connection to anything. Just a very random immersion killing technique.
Setting: 1
I just could not make myself care for the setting. There was something there, but the level of descriptive details ruined it.
There is absolutely no reason to spend 30 or 35 pages talking just about every street Paris has...
Or another 20-30 pages talking about architecture and art. It literally felt like Hugo felt that his PhD thesis was being wasted and decided to just randomly plug it into a book. It's just not needed and destroys the whole mood, making me want to just stop reading.
Overall, books should be a fun time spend. This one wasn't. I'll probably try Hugo's another work as I liked his other books I've read, but I need to go into Hugo detox after this travesty of a book.
Would absolutely not recommend. Unless you maybe get an abridged version? Do yourself a favor and skip a full one.
Roman "Ragnar"
I really wanted to like this book. In fact, I enjoyed Bug Jargal and Hans of Iceland, he previous books but this...this was just torture. (And I'm no stranger to classics.)
2 stars is as high a rating I can honestly give it.
Characters: 2
I kept thinking it would get better, there would be better characters coming along. As a matter of fact Gringoire is the most sensible of them all. Maybe Quasimodo after but the rest behaved in such unrealistic manner that it was just a pain to read.
Esmeralda...I kept secretly hoping that the priest would just kill her and have it all over with. (No spoilers, that's just what I wanted him to do).
Just not impressed at all by any characters.
Plot: 2
While plot had very good potential, it really got quagmires by tens of pages of unnecessary information that was randomly and for no reason at all put as full chapters in between the actual story chapters. Just when I found myself getting immersed into the story. BAM! Let's talk about how the printing press killed architecture. For a WHOLE chapter. No connection to anything. Just a very random immersion killing technique.
Setting: 1
I just could not make myself care for the setting. There was something there, but the level of descriptive details ruined it.
There is absolutely no reason to spend 30 or 35 pages talking just about every street Paris has...
Or another 20-30 pages talking about architecture and art. It literally felt like Hugo felt that his PhD thesis was being wasted and decided to just randomly plug it into a book. It's just not needed and destroys the whole mood, making me want to just stop reading.
Overall, books should be a fun time spend. This one wasn't. I'll probably try Hugo's another work as I liked his other books I've read, but I need to go into Hugo detox after this travesty of a book.
Would absolutely not recommend. Unless you maybe get an abridged version? Do yourself a favor and skip a full one.
Roman "Ragnar"
oh my gush
I AM ABLE to acknowledge classic but ...
I hate this book. It's unnecessary long and pointless. Like you are reading it, trying to get storyline, and BAMM author interrupt himself and started telling you the WHOLE Notre-Dame building story. And you like, okay, I understand, it may refer to the title somehow. But then it's like again a tiny bit of storyline and AGAIN author interrupt himself to tell you geography and history of every Paris distric. WHYY? Why did you do this to me?
Also in this whole Esmerelda vs Claude Frollo story this dude annoy the shit out of me. She is a child, and you are an adult, and you can't blame her on being pretty. What wrong with this guy?
While being stoker and kidnaping her multiple times, this very sick man, who is also a priest by the way, made Esmeralda a main MURDER suspect, by trying to kill the dude she have crush on.
O MY GUSH!
And finally, what disappointed me the most is pointless finally. What should this book taught me?
I have no idea.
I AM ABLE to acknowledge classic but ...
I hate this book. It's unnecessary long and pointless. Like you are reading it, trying to get storyline, and BAMM author interrupt himself and started telling you the WHOLE Notre-Dame building story. And you like, okay, I understand, it may refer to the title somehow. But then it's like again a tiny bit of storyline and AGAIN author interrupt himself to tell you geography and history of every Paris distric. WHYY? Why did you do this to me?
Also in this whole Esmerelda vs Claude Frollo story this dude annoy the shit out of me. She is a child, and you are an adult, and you can't blame her on being pretty. What wrong with this guy?
While being stoker and kidnaping her multiple times, this very sick man, who is also a priest by the way, made Esmeralda a main MURDER suspect, by trying to kill the dude she have crush on.
O MY GUSH!
And finally, what disappointed me the most is pointless finally. What should this book taught me?
I have no idea.
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to start off 2020-part-2 with a banger and well...well, yea...this was not it.
Don't waste your time, just watch the Disney adaptation
Reads like a manual for a 13th c Parisian architect.
Don't waste your time, just watch the Disney adaptation
Reads like a manual for a 13th c Parisian architect.